By Steve Blackwell
Since the dawn of time, communication has been in the center of progress. Cave drawings, pictographs, the printing press, radio, television, the internet—our methods of communication are always evolving and changing.
One would think that in the technologically advanced society we live in today, we would be masters of communication, but take a look at our government, our politicians, our courts, families and businesses. We all have great intent and ability to communicate, but as bestselling author John Maxwell writes in his book titled, “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect,” we just aren’t connecting. In an age where anyone can publish via an ever-ending array of vehicles, we seem to be confusing our definition of communicating with broadcasting. We have billions of people adding content and data to the world on a regular basis, but very little of that information is being utilized effectively.
Creating Communication Intelligence
The concept of communication intelligence originated in its early form as the psychology of sales about 10 years ago. Deon Basson, who was a sales executive for Dimension Data–Europe, was charged with enhancing sales success throughout a 400-person sales force. Research that came back from Basson’s team suggested that the psychology aspect of identifying the proper pathway for connection often took too long.
“The sales force, for the most part, didn’t have the ability to resonate with people that they were dealing with and, therefore, fell short of influencing and persuading them,” says Basson. “They were able to connect with those who shared the same communication preference but had difficulty resonating with those who didn’t, and this clearly showed in their sales.”
A lot of companies introduce communication models and methods but often do not follow through on integration or making it practical. Many people are familiar with the Myers-Briggs, the DISC and the Baron EQi, which are great indicators of personality, but Basson saw a need to help the world in an area that involved psychology but was specific to communication.
“With all of the great assessment models and methods, we still aren’t connecting,” he says.
Basson believes process engineering took the human aspect out of the equation. Many large companies that were implementing processes and/or re-engineering processes for greater efficiency and profits from 1985-2005 overlooked the human aspect of communication and connection.
The Psychology of Communication
After leaving Dimension Data–Europe, Basson headed back to South Africa, where he formulated the idea of the psychology of communication that could repair the void created by the global trends of business process re-engineering, a topic of his doctorate studies. His thesis and work on the subject have evolved over the years with research and testing that were developed with many partners in conjunction with the Harvard School of Business. More than 850,000 participants around the globe have taken the online assessment to date. Today, Basson, the founder and CEO of 2interact, has offices in London, Sydney, New York, Singapore, Cape Town and Brussels, and is aggressively expanding the communication framework into the U.S. He works with customers like Deloitte, Barclays, SQS, Dell, Avis, SCS Space, Sauder, Microsoft, Dimension Data and EDF and recently added Coca Cola in South Africa.
The framework starts with an online assessment that measures the participants’ preferences of communication. There are no right or wrong answers, and the assessment only takes about 10 minutes. Upon completion, the participants receive a profile report that lists a numeric figure up to 100 that represents their communication style—visionary, analytical, methodical or connected—as well as their preferred communication behavior—accommodating, collaborating, competing or avoiding.
Feedback is provided through a customized digital profile report that shares insights on what participants can do to enhance their ability to connect. Licensing and workshops are also available and come with an additional 112-page digital user guide that represents 2interact’s proprietary communication framework and guides participants on how to effectively build stories, pitches and presentations that will not only enhance their ability to connect but to convert.
A West Virginia Connection
Building brands and helping businesses connect has been the focus of Charleston-based marketing and creative strategy firm Blackwell and Co. for more than 20 years. The firm has used creativity and visual cues to help clients differentiate and compete in a number of different markets throughout the state, across the country and around the world. Over the past two decades, from a small boutique-style office in Charleston, Blackwell and Co. has worked with many local businesses as well as several national and global names such as Toyota, Wells Fargo, Aker Solutions, Northeast Natural Energy and Verizon.
Creative work and communications consulting have taken the firm from Los Angeles to New York and Oslo to Johannesburg. After opening a second office in the Charlotte, NC, area—through a new relationship with a firm headquartered in South Africa—Blackwell and Co. gained valuable new communication insights and decided to adopt this new perspective to the firm’s brand building methodology.
A connection with 2interact led Blackwell and Co. to open a second office in the Charlotte, NC, area and allowed the firm to gain valuable new communication insights that changed perspective on its brand building methodology. The result is an unlikely new joint venture between a small creative firm in West Virginia and an online assessment and communication training consultancy in South Africa. Bringing design together with psychometrics is like introducing chocolate to peanut butter: they’re different but good together. The partnership between Blackwell and Co. and 2interact will be focused on North America and provide the impetus to launch greater human connections through a new communication framework called communication intelligence.
“Although we have clients in the U.S, this framework is fairly new here,” says Basson. “We see exciting potential in the U.S. and have a great passion to help people and businesses connect and communicate better.”
An International Expansion
With this new venture, which started in the U.S. in the spring of 2017, the communication intelligence assessment has been introduced to American firms representing more than 500,000 employees nationwide.
“We have touched on the legal markets, major manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical and the big box retailers here in the U.S., and I am confident our communication framework will greatly enhance the corporate ability to connect throughout North America,” says Basson. “With more than 10 years operating in markets such as Ireland, the U.K., Australia, Belgium and South Africa, we are especially excited to expand our product in the U.S. market.”
The state of our communication is clearly lapsing. Our government, our politicians, our churches, schools and corporations are all trying to connect. Some might say this is one of the worst times in history regarding our government’s ability to get things done. Our politicians are guided by polls, trends and millions of dollars, but still they don’t connect. Churches in North America are declining. Kids are going to school, but many aren’t learning. A recent study from the Higher Education Policy Commission suggests that approximately one third of children who graduated from a West Virginia high school in 2016 needed remedial classes.
What if we could communicate better? What if we could learn to resonate with one another, rather than just broadcast our point of view or position? What would our country look like if our politicians could negotiate better? What would our schools and churches look like if the message would resonate with the recipient? How much more could we sell, produce or manage if we connected better?
About the Author
Steve Blackwell is the principal and creative advisor for Blackwell and Co. with offices in Charleston, WV, and Charlotte, NC. As a marketing and creative strategy consultant, he provides clients with leadership and direction regarding the planning and execution of major branding, marketing, advertising and communication-related projects. Beyond his business, he is married to his wife of more than 20 years and has two children. Blackwell is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War and has been quoted as saying two things have changed his life—tennis and Jesus.
